What Now That We Can't Be With People?

Benjamin Kreps:

Hey everyone. Welcome back to the Mark Prater podcast, where our aim is to connect our global family of churches to our Executive Director.

Mark, here we are three weeks into this pandemic and the social distancing and shelter-in-place orders that are pretty much all over the place. And so, as you referenced a little bit last time on the podcast, there's this reality in which pastors are not able to be with folks in the church. Even if there's someone in the hospital, in many cases we can't go visit them. It's disorienting.

There are questions about how to pursue faithfulness when you can't be with people. I know guys are trying all sorts of things. What are your thoughts about pastoring folks in this season when we are told we shouldn't be with people, when that's sort of the whole reason we're doing this job?

Mark Prater:

As I mentioned last time, the fact that guys are feeling pained and burdened actually confirms that they're called as a shepherd to pastor the flock that God has given them. I hope that fact alone encourages them.

Right now most of our pastors are going to feel inadequate, regardless of what they do, because they don't really feel adequate until they can sit and be with their people. Those feelings of inadequacy are more in our pastor's minds than in our members' minds. The fact that you're attempting to find ways to care for your people and interact with your church communicates more care than you might realize.

In fact, you were telling me just earlier that you had a member say something like that to you. Isn't that right?

Benjamin Kreps:

Yeah. I mean, I've seen a whole host of Sovereign Grace pastors creating podcasts and devotional videos. You can definitely see it as the pastor's heart to bless and serve their folks during this season.

We've done a little bit of that. I have my own podcast, Gospel Culture Podcast and I've done some video. And even just those little points can feel inadequate, but you're just trying to serve your folks and encourage them.

We're getting people responding and expressing that they feel cared for: You're thinking about us, you want to help us. They feel that care, even coming through what feels rather inadequate (a video recording or something like that).

Mark Prater:

When pastors feel that inadequacy (most of us are going to), we have to remember that the grace of God that we preach to our church is actually the grace of God we need for ourselves. I want guys to be aware of the grace of God and to experience the grace of God in the midst of inadequate feelings that they might be having.

Benjamin Kreps:

I would guess some of our guys in smaller churches are watching all the activity and the streamlined media presentations and responses in the community, and they're just trying to figure out how to stream on their iPhone on Facebook live on Sunday. We certainly want our guys to feel God's pleasure even in efforts that feel inadequate as we seek to be faithful. What are some practical ideas that you've seen or you've been thinking about when it comes to pastoring people from our computers and over the phone and that sort of thing?

Mark Prater:

You know, it's learning how to do pastoral ministry in a different way. I don't think I've got any brand new creative ideas, but you can FaceTime with a person in your church who may be hospitalized. And just the fact that they can see your face can be very comforting. Another idea is to get your iPhone and you record a video personally for them, letting them know that you're praying for them, and share whatever thoughts you may have. And it can be short; it can be two minutes long tops, and you can text it to them.

Benjamin Kreps:

By the way, all of the anti-Apple bros in Sovereign Grace: You can use other kinds of phones than iPhones, right Mark?

Mark Prater:

Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

I mean the podcast you're doing—a guy can do a podcast. Whatever devotionals you're creating and getting out to your church are good. And then there’s your ability to continue to do pastoral counseling over the phone or via Zoom. It may feel inadequate to you, but it doesn't to your people. 

Benjamin Kreps:

Absolutely. Coming up on Friday you've encouraged us to pray together for healthcare workers. And you can consider doing things like reaching out to all of the healthcare workers in your church and making a personal connection and asking how can we pray for you specifically? How are you doing? That sort of thing.

Mark Prater:

 Exactly. I know that at Ricky Alcantar's church, Cross of Grace Church in El Paso, Texas, during their livestream service last Sunday they prayed for all of the healthcare workers in the church. Joe Alcantar was telling me it was very meaningful to them.

Benjamin Kreps:

Yeah, that's wonderful. Any other thoughts for us before we end?

Mark Prater:

Well, again, I just think our guys are doing a great job. They are finding ways to pastor people when they can't be with them.

What I'm seeing actually is sort of this pent up I can't wait until we come back together type of emotion that's building up in our guys. And if I could, I would just love to be in all of our churches that first Sunday that we gather. I think the place is going to explode. I'm really grateful for that. I can't wait for our guys to be with our people and enjoy that.

Benjamin Kreps:

Amen. One thing God could be doing in us as pastors in this season is giving us a moment to pause, even though it's difficult—to rest, to study, to fellowship with the Lord as the anticipation builds to be with our church. Coming out of this season, in the next season there'll be this enthusiasm, passion, and zeal that is going to push the mission of Jesus forward.

Mark Prater:

Amen. May that happen.

Benjamin Kreps:

Thank you, Mark. And thank you everybody for watching. We'll talk to you soon.